Tenshi
by dannaskouhai
Summary: It began with one night. One night that connected two people in more ways than either had previously thought of; AU; SasoDei
1. Prologue

**_I do not own the characters mentioned in the story. All characters mentioned are Masashi Kishimoto's. Other than that, enjoy! ^-^_**

Prologue:

All I remember was the heat wrapping around me tightly, suffocating me.

"_Ahh…Danna~"_

All I remember was the short breaths and quick pants.

"_Hah, harder, un...f-faster~"_

The electrified touches of fingertips over flushed skin.

"_D-Deeper…God…ah~"_

And I remember the golden waves as they cascaded across silk pillows and Egyptian cotton sheets.

I remember everything from the night I mated with my future Partner.

However…I did not know that at the time.

I did not know that that person would become my Partner.

I close my amber eyes.

And I see him like how I saw him on that fated night.

Sprawled out under me, crystal blue eyes half-lidded with desire, cheeks dusted a deep rosy shade from the lust, moaning my name through his hitched gasps.

"_H-harder, Sasori~!"_

I wrapped my arms around his waist, forcing his hips up, and I suddenly found myself going deeper with each thrust, the tight rings of muscle against my throbbing, pulsing member creating exquisite friction for the both of us. It was at that particular moment when I angled my penetration differently that the head of my cock brushed against something that made the man under me stop moaning.

And then start screaming.

He arched his back painfully skyward, the top of his head pressing into the pillow under him as a long, low scream ripped through his throat and escaped passed his swollen lips.

"_There…again…PLEASE, un!_"

Not thinking twice, I angled my hips in that certain direction, pulling out and then slamming back in with all my might, relishing in the now screams that were being produced by the other male. With every push against the tight bundle of nerves, the muscles around my member would contract involuntarily, sending any comprehensible thoughts I had in my mind through the roof. My own breathing, which had stayed fairly even and deep, suddenly became erratic and short, causing my head to become dizzy and fuzzy, my vision growing more discombobulated.

Never had I ever felt such different sensations all at once.

Never had I ever felt so much passion and want for a single person.

This…beautiful, incredibly fascinating person under me, lifting his arms in an effort to bring me closer as he was nearing his end, his limit. Releasing his waist, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, bringing our bodies closer together, his pulsing erection pushing into my lower abdomen. Keeping a firm grip on his right shoulder, I brought my left hand between us, my stealthy fingers wrapping expertly around his member, pumping in time with my now erratic thrusts, sending the male under me into euphoric and ecstatic wonderland.

He screamed, loudly enough to tear at his vocal chords, which were no doubt pleading for him to stop. But he just continued to scream, bucking his hips in time with my thrusts, his body quivering and shaking uncontrollably as it was pushed dangerously close to the edge.

And I was feeling the same sensation. The familiar coil in my stomach began tightening, the springs getting closer together as wave after wave of intense pleasure washed over me in a torrential fashion. All common sense was lost.

And I couldn't have cared less.

Noticing the other male's eyes screwed tightly shut, I buried my face into the crook of his neck, determination searing through me as I pumped and thrust with as much force and pace as I could muster, holding our bodies together as we tilted on the edge.

And then we finally fell.

"_SASORI!"_

He screamed my name lovingly as he released, his seed spilling onto both our stomachs and my hand, the off-white liquid burning slightly. The tight rings of muscles convulsed violently around me and I gave a few more fetal thrusts before I released deep inside him, shuddering at the audible moan against my ear.

Pulling out as I begun to feel sleep override me, I looked down at the male, noting that he had already fallen into peaceful dreams. I smiled calmly as I caressed his tan cheek. "I'm glad your eyes are shut, Dei."

I didn't want him to see the black wings that had unfurled from my back.

And as I sat there, only one thought occurred in my mind:

_How did this happen?_


	2. Unforgettable Memory

Chapter 1:

_**Deidara's POV**_

Two Days Later

The event of two nights ago still plays in my mind.

It wasn't that I had been looking for a one-night stand; I'm normally the one to commit to a relationship before doing anything physical.

But something about that man, the one with blood-red hair and a piercing amber gaze, drove me to act on insane pleasure and insane pleasure alone.

The way he held me, spoke to me, his voice like heavy silk, instantly calmed yet aroused me all at the same time, introducing me to sensations I never knew existed.

And by the time I finally woke up the next morning, he was already gone, as if his presence never existed in the first place.

Yet…he _was_ real.

I had evidence to prove it.

Without warning, the throbbing ache on my neck interrupts my thoughts and I hiss lightly, touching the bite mark situated at the junction of my throat and shoulder. Even after two whole days, the damn mark still looks fresh.

"Wild night, huh?" my best friend, Hidan, asks, smirking wildly. I blush furiously, hoping the collar of my shirt was high enough to cover it. "I-It's none of your business, un."

"You're right; it is none of my business," he looks at me with that same damn smirk, "but as your best friend, I would like to know why my 'serious relationship' type best friend suddenly had a one night stand. Or have you been fucking someone for a while and just haven't fucking told me?"

"Hidan, it's rude to cuss that much, un," I try to redirect the conversation to something other than my sex life. I'm pretty incognito about it and to have it suddenly be brought up in public isn't something I'm comfortable with.

"Don't try to change the subject, blondie," I glare at the pet name. He just laughs his usual maniacal laugh, insinuating curious looks from others as we stroll through the main lawn on campus.

I guess I should introduce myself.

My name is Deidara Iwa.

I'm 21 years old and a senior at Khan University.

I have crystal blue eyes, thick, golden-blonde hair that reaches down past my elbows and covers almost the entirety of the left side of my face in bangs (I usually have it up in a half-ponytail most of the time), and I'm 6 foot even.

My best friend, Hidan, and I have known each other since we were in Pre-K – or to be more precise, back when he thought I had been a girl. My hair has always been long. It's not that I want to look like a girl, which I infuriatingly do, I just enjoy having it long.

Anyways, I'm an art major...I know…go ahead and laugh; everyone else does when they hear what degree I'm going after. Even my own father was flabbergasted when I told him before I left for college.

"Are you fucking kidding me, Deidara?! An _art major_?!" he yelled, brown eyes furious.

"Kinji!" my mother shouted, trying to calm her husband, blue eyes threatening. Even though she was trying to keep the situation under control, I could see the disappointment clouding her gaze.

Me…I just sat there, allowing my father to scream and curse at me. He glared. "No son of mine will pursue a degree in art! Especially if I'm the one paying the goddamn tuition!"

"I understand you're the one paying the tuition and I'm forever grateful, but-"

"You obviously aren't fucking grateful if you're going to pursue a degree in art! I'm not about to pay for your tuition for you to not make any money whatsoever once you graduate!"

"Kinji, lower your voice. Yelling will only make it worse and-"

"Asami don't sputter that bullshit to me. You're just as disappointed! I can tell!" my dad screamed. He returned his gaze to me. "Deidara…why? Why do you want to be an art major? I would understand if it was Graphic Design. Virtual games are popular, therefore graphic designers are wanted, but-"

"Graphic Design involves programming, which I'm not good at, un," I exclaimed, staring down at my plate. Silence filled the space for what felt like hours until my father cleared his throat. "Okay…so…why art…son?"

"Art is my passion, un. Ever since I was little, the class I excelled in the most was art. You both saw that, un. Yes, I could have pursued something in science, but that involved taking classes like Chemistry and Physics and lord knows I'm nowhere near the A-grade student to take those. Art…speaks to me and I speak through art, un. I'm my happiest when I sculpt, paint, carve, etc. My expression is shown through what my hands can create, un. I know that this may all sound like a sorry excuse, but that's my best explanation," I revealed.

Without as much as a pause, my dad grunted roughly in the back of his throat. "Well, if pursuing art is what you want to do, be my guest. But don't think I'm paying for college anymore."

"Kinji!"

"Asami, don't push me any more on this subject! I'm not going to pay for a future where my son ends up a failure! And _that's final_!"

So after telling my parents the news, I was seen applying to as many scholarships Khan University had to offer. I expected my parents to react the way they did, but I never thought my father would completely cut off funds for my education, leaving me in the cold. After that night, my father and I barely spoke to each other, and once I left, I hadn't been back since.

Winter break is coming up soon, and I don't plan on going home. Hidan's family has opened its door to me and I'm more than willing to accept the offer.

My father has lost respect for me because I just wanted to pursue my dream.

I have absolutely no reason to go back to that house ever again.

* * *

><p>One of the perks of being a senior at the university is that you get the option of living in one of the campus apartments for the same price as living in the dorms. A kitchen, living room, bedroom, washer and dryer, and bathroom all to yourself, not having to pay for any of the electrical or water bills.<p>

Who _wouldn't_ want that?

Finals are coming up within the next two weeks and I have three major art projects due in that time. I guess one of the perks of being an art major is that you'll rarely ever have to study for a test, but a downside is that you'll be up for hours on end to finish a project.

I drop my backpack on the floor next to the living room's coffee table, flopping down onto the beige, triple-seat leather couch, closing my eyes.

And I see him.

The man with blood red hair and a cool, intense amber gaze.

Staring down at me with an expression I still can't quite describe; admiration? Lust? Love? I don't have a clue. He's staring down at me, hands gripping the sheets underneath as he moves his hips on mine, grinding into me as he rams into that sweet spot deep inside.

My neck arches off the bed, the top of my head pressing into the pillow as my eyes roll into the back of my skull, a scream reverberating in my throat as my body rocks with pleasure. I shudder violently as he continues to thrust against that bundle of nerves, not giving me a chance to collect myself before I'm succumbing to the intense waves of white-hot passion that's filling my vision. In the haze, I lift my arms up in a desperate attempt to bring us closer.

It seems he gets the hint and, in an instant, his perfect face is buried into my neck as he picks up his pace to an almost inhuman speed. I bury my fingers into the red locks, the strands silky smooth against my skin. He thrusts faster, harder, deeper, each one sending me closer and closer to the edge of euphoria.

And when I finally fall, a scream escapes into the air as I release onto our stomachs, letting out a shuddering moan as I feel myself become filled with the man's own seed. I breathe slowly, trying to calm myself from my climax, drowsiness overcoming my better senses, and I fall asleep before I can say anything else.

I open my eyes, not surprised to find that my member is now semi-hard.

I woke up the next morning knowing that he wouldn't be there. One-night stands always left before the other woke up.

What I wasn't expecting was to find a black feather perched delicately on the floor next to my nightstand.

I know I had closed the window the night before, so how on Earth had a feather made its way into my room?

I gaze over at the coffee table, the feather resting on the forgotten Sculpting Techniques guidebook I bought about five years ago. I know how to sculpt, but I still learn new styles every now and then just to broaden my talent board.

I reach over and grab the feather, raising it up above my head to let it capture the light from the sun coming in through the window. Even though it's black at first glance, hints of red, yellow, gold, and orange become apparent once in the right atmosphere. Its length is past that of my forearm, which bothers me to no end, and here's the reason:

The two biggest blackbirds here are the ravens and crows.

However, neither of their feathers grows to be the length of a grown man's forearm, much less past that.

So what bird could have possibly lost this feather?

Sighing, I place it back on the coffee table, too preoccupied with finals to really delve anymore into the subject. I stand up and walk into my bedroom, what was once my desk next to the door now converted into a sculpting table. With the clay I extracted on my way in, I sit down and unwrap the modeling material, ripping off a piece and dipping it in water to get it malleable.

As I start working on it, I try to envision what I want to create. As a senior in college, final projects/exams are extremely important, especially if you want to graduate on time. Projects may not seem to be as important as studying for an actual test, with either multiple choice answers or short/long essays, but in reality, and from past experience, mind you, projects tend to be more stressful than tests because the grade your professor gives you on a project is based solely on your own skills, not how much knowledge you can remember to answer a question.

You won't believe how many people failed in my freshman year, first semester art class just due to the fact that their final projects weren't 'creative' or 'individualistic' enough on the professor's standards.

I smooth out a section of the clay, rounding an edge.

However, my mind, of course, refuses to pay attention to the task at hand.

Instead, it goes back to the man.

Sasori.

I only got his first name when we met at the club.

* * *

><p>The first thing I noticed when I walked into the club was the pulsating black light overhead.<p>

The second was the redhead over by the neon blue-lit bar. Even from where I was standing, which was over by the entrance with Hidan, I could tell there was something about that man that made me want to go over and talk to him.

A hand clamped itself on my shoulder and I looked at Hidan, whose pale red eyes were scanning the dancefloor eagerly. "Yo, this club is fucking _on point_! All the boobs and booze a man could fucking ask for!"

"Hidan, I'm gay, un," I remarked, smirking at the pursed lips of my best friend. He sighed. "Alright, so it's booze and buttholes for you instead. Either way, there's fucking a lot of them!"

I shook my head, watching as Hidan shouted and sprinted into the throng of the dancing, grinding crowd, leaving me to my own devices. Eyeing the guy I had previously spotted, I ran my hands over the black leather skinny jeans I wore, smoothing out any wrinkles. On top of those, I was also wearing black combat boots and a simple white tank top with a simple black leather vest on top. My hair was in its usual half-ponytail. And as far as makeup went, I added thick, black eyeliner, accentuating my blue orbs.

I waltzed on over to the bar and sat down, the bartender promptly leaning on a forearm while polishing a glass. "Anything I can help you with, ma'am?"

My eye twitched slightly at the mistake, but I let my deep voice correct him. "Jim Beam and coke over ice, un."

The bartender's eyes widened for an instant, then he turned around with a, "My apologies, sir. Coming right up."

As he prepared the drink, I was all but too aware of the other man's curiosity. Briefly glancing in my peripheral proved my suspicions as the redhead's gaze was pointed directly at me. When I received my drink, I took a swig and was about to hand the tender my card, when he waved it away. "Gentleman over there paid for it. Enjoy."

I took another sip, finally peeking a sideways glance. "Thanks for the drink, un."

The redhead sauntered over, turning around to face the dancefloor, leaning back with his arms against the bar. He suddenly rolled his head towards me and I was given the view of the most gorgeous pair of eyes imaginable; they were a warm amber color, turned nearly black in the pulsating light. They were glinting with mischief and playfulness. And when he smirked, his smile sent little shards of pin-needles up my spine. "Anything for a pretty blonde."

"Hope you know that I'm a guy and not a transvestite, un," I was used to having to let down numerous guys who had thought I was a female.

This man wasn't about to be an exception to that rule.

I was about to take another swig when a hand gently grabbed my chin and forced me to turn it to the side. I gulped nervously at the sudden closeness of our faces. He studied my expression carefully, eyes grazing over every feature before settling on my blue orbs. He smiled again. "And I still meant what I said. Anything for a pretty blonde."

"Hm, you have some major balls trying to hit on me this early in the game, un," I forced my chin out of his grip, finishing off my bourbon-coke mix. I looked at the bartender. "Shot of Blueberry Smirnoff."

"Wouldn't necessarily call it early on if I know I'm heading for home base," his smooth, husky voice whispered breathily close to my ear. I gave an involuntary shudder, rather pleasant images popping into my mind. However, I ridded myself of such fantasies by shaking my head, calming my thoughts. "Sorry to tell you this, but I'm not the 'one-night stand' type, un. Get to know me first and then we'll talk."

"Alright…so what's your name?"

I had to hand it to him; he was pretty clever.

I laughed at his attempt, noting his own goofy grin. "Okay, just for that, I'll tell you, un. It's Deidara. And you are, un?"

"Sasori," the redhead explained, watching me intently as I took the shot of vodka just handed to me. I slammed the glass on the bar, the sting of the alcohol burning its way down my throat and landing harshly in my stomach. I wasn't drunk, so when the man who had just introduced himself as Sasori asked me to dance, I wasn't too sure as to why I had said yes.

Yet, there I was, finding myself in the middle of the dancing crowd, Sasori behind me, his hands roughly grabbing my hips as I grinded along to the music, the bass thumping violently against my chest. I closed my eyes, changing my hips from a side-to-side to a circular pattern, hearing a near animalistic growl escape from the man behind me. His grip tightened, possibly due to the fact that my new pattern caused my ass to rub even more heavily on his most sensitive area. I smirked and when the song was at a good point, I slowed my hips even more, a near moan escaping Sasori's lips, seeing as they were pressed against my ear.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, forcing his head into my throat, feeling his lips press against my skin. I sighed as something wet trailed itself up to my ear before I heard that seductive, husky voice whisper, "Dei~"

And before I could think, I turned around and leaned forward, our lips molding together in such perfect synchronicity, the rest of the club fell away to nothing. Fell away until all I was paying attention to were the audible growls and groans escaping that perfect man in front of me.

A burning sensation brings me back to reality and I nearly scream as it turns painful. What started as a burning sensation instantly grows to a boiling and I sprint to the bathroom, turning on the tap and splashing cold water onto my neck, where the pain is coming from. When the sensation dies down to just a scorching, I chance a glance in the mirror.

The bite mark that I sustained on that night is pulsing, steady and slow. I watch with a widening gaze as the outline of the mark begins to darken. The skin grows from red to brown and finally to black, forming a prominent circle on my neck. I scrunch my eyebrows together in confusion.

_What the hell is happening to me?_

**_Gomenasai for the late entry! This story is still very early on in the planning process (I have multiple other fanfics I am currently trying to finish to allow you amazing readers to enjoy it), but I hope you're liking it? Let me know if you want me to continue with chapter updates! I'll most likely always be on time with them, but sometimes it can't be helped. Anyways, let me know, please? Thanks loves 3 ^_^_**


	3. Family Feud

Chapter 2:

_**Sasori's POV**_

I wake up to a cloudless morning sky. The sun has just finally revealed its whole self above the horizon, sending waves of gold, orange, and yellow across the azure. I sit up in my bed, stretching my arms towards the ceiling, hearing my bones pop from the stiffness they endured last night.

I haven't had such a peaceful night of sleep in months.

Gazing out to the right, my amber eyes catch sight of the mountains far off in the distance.

Of course, mountains are all around me where I live.

My house is nestled in a tiny crevice of one of the many rock formations jutting up from the ground.

I've lived here all my life.

My name is Sasori Akasuna.

I recently just turned 26, since my birthday was back in November.

I have amber eyes and blood red hair and I'm 6' 1".

And I'm a Tenshi.

I'm assuming many of you haven't a clue as to what I'm talking about, so I will explain. 'Tenshi' is the Japanese word for 'angel', but we Tenshi are anything _but_ angels. We are avian-human hybrids, a separate type of human species. And with being part avian, we have the pleasure of sprouting wings.

All Tenshi have black wings, except members of the Council.

No, just because if you're born with different colored wings, that doesn't automatically say you will be a member of the Council. Council members are the ones who abide and hold true to the Tenshi law and make sure that the law is followed.

We live in a world of isolation, if that's the correct word to use. Yes, we walk among you regular humans like we, ourselves, are 'normal', but our secret has been kept hidden from you for centuries. The Council makes sure our world never comes to light.

And why, might you ask?

The governments of the world are already scrutinized daily by the public for keeping secrets everyone wants to know. If our species was revealed, everyone would want answers. Are we experiments that the government has created? And if we are experiments, have we suddenly become loose and will go after the rest of the world population? Stupid, and rather pointless, questions like these are the reason the Tenshi species has kept itself in seclusion for the last 4 millennium.

Although the Law contradicts this.

Before the present Council, the old Council held firm to the old Law: Tenshi were forbidden to have any relations with humans. If that relationship was found out, immediate termination of the Tenshi's life was acted upon. And if a human was to find out about the Tenshi species, their existence from their old life was wiped clean and they were never heard from again.

However, the present Council has changed the Law. Now, Tenshi are allowed to have relations with regular humans, also known as Mundanes. And any Mundane that finds out about the species must leave their old life behind and live in the Tenshi world. The reason for this is that inner-family relations were beginning to show signs of a degenerative disease that was only happening _because_ of families attempting to keep the pureblood line of the Tenshi species. With the new Law, the Council is hoping to alleviate the disease from the species, and also test Tenshi with Mundane DNA to see if a combination of the two would be even able to survive in a single person. No 'half-blood' has been reported yet, but enough Tenshi/Mundane relationships have surfaced since the new Law was put into place.

However, many pureblood families are not okay with this new rule. Many, if not all, believe the disease is just a farce the Council made up. Therefore, most of the Tenshi families look down on the intermixed relationships.

Seems rather habitual, right?

Right.

Unfortunately, my family happens to be one of the ones that fall into that category. My family, the Akasuna Clan, has been around since the very first Tenshi appeared, with one of my ancestors being a part of the first Council to be adopted. Since then, our clan has gained the honor of being one of the single biggest and purest blood families to still be around. Most others have members in relationships with Mundanes, while mine has stayed strictly pure.

My little brother, Gaara, is already arranged to marry our cousin, Temari, while my mother married one of her cousins.

Me…well…I guess I'm about to be the one to crack the steady foundation my family has built so perfectly.

See…it's not that I'm in a relationship, per say.

But I did happen to hook up with a mundane two days ago at a random club.

Deidara.

Even now, his name sends shivers down my spine.

I've slept with numerous people, from Tenshi to Mundanes alike, from men and to women – yes, I am bi – but never has a single person kept running through my mind quite like that blonde male with the crystal blue eyes.

Sighing, I sit up and throw the comforter off of me, standing upright next to my bed. I roll my shoulders and allow my wings to open to their full maximum: a full, 18ft wingspan. My room was specially designed to allow me to stretch them without knocking into anything. I fold the wings towards me, inspecting the feathers, noticing dirt embedded within the different layers. An annoyed grunt escapes my throat.

I hate having to preen my feathers. It can take up to three hours to do each wing, along with brushing the oil as well through the feathers to keep them flexible and waterproof. I grab the brush I was given for preening and begin the process.

After what felt like forever, which was really only an hour, I turn around and scan my room. I don't have any windows. Other than the wall where the door is, the rest of the space is just open with marble columns holding up the corners. The open spaces are covered with sheer, off-white curtains that catch the wind that continually undulates through the mountains every day.

I walk over to one side, which overlooks a sheer drop-off. Far down below, a river cuts through the rock with its powerful current, and my hypersensitive ears pick up the sound of it as it runs over pebbles and stone, and river fish ride against the current in an effort to catch food particles from hunter birds far up ahead.

Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes, letting my body become light, just like the wind cascading across my arms, shifting and swirling through my blood-red locks.

And I let my feet slip off the edge.

What was once calm wind suddenly is now pulling on the sides of my face and forcing my hair up towards the sky.

It's cold, but that's just what I like.

I can feel my wings begging to be set free, to feel the air. And once I'm close enough to the river, I open them wide, swooping down slightly before I'm finally horizontal with the world. Banking right, I dip lower and run my hand through the water, feeling its icy chill across my fingertips.

My morning routine always consisted of a short flying sequence, mostly because flying, for me, is an escape. My family, just recently, has been pushing me to find someone to Mark, ultimately sealing them as my partner.

I should probably explain this as well. When a Tenshi feels they have met the person they want to spend the rest of their life with, they will 'mark' them. This involves a rather painful bite to the receiver, and the bite mark ultimately forms into a circle with intricate designs in the middle. Once the person has become marked, they become the Tenshi's Partner. That makes them linked, not only in terms of partnership, but in body as well. This means that whatever happens to one happens to the other as far as when physical harm is involved. And once a Tenshi has chosen a Partner, they cannot go back on their decision. However, more often than not, no Tenshi ever regrets Marking because they know the repercussions if they make a silly mistake or are ignorant towards deciding.

I haven't marked anyone yet, mostly because I haven't found anyone worth Marking. Most Tenshi are often too stuck up and annoying for me to fall for any of them.

But Mundanes.

God, Mundanes are amazing creatures.

Each one that I have met has been completely different from the last. Each has their own thoughts, opinions, views of the world, and their own mind. Yes, Tenshi have their own minds, but most, if not all, think the same, mostly because they have lived among each other their entire lives. I've been one of the few Tenshi in my generation to venture out into the Mundane world and engross myself in their culture.

And I have not regretted any moment of it.

I've visited Times Square in New York City, the Great Wall of China, Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, all of the national parks in the U.S., as well as gone on safari tours in Africa. I've been to India, Japan, Ireland, France, Spain, England, South Korea, and many other smaller countries. My favorite trip, by far, was when I went to the Netherlands and stayed in Amsterdam for a month. Within that month, I visited every museum they had to offer, dined at the cafes, and toured the capital via canal by boat ride. The sheer amount of culture within that one city astounded me. And once I came home, back to my boring house settled in the mountains of Wyoming, I realized just how mediocre my life was, even _if_ I had wings.

Through the wind whistling past my ears, I hear the faint call of my mother for breakfast. I bank left and swipe back around, heading up towards the sky. I land lightly right where I jumped off and proceed on into the hallway and towards the kitchen. I live in a fairly large house, but it's only my mother, father, and little brother, so I often feel it was too big for us.

I sit down and grab two pancakes from off the big plate in the middle of the glass table, paying no mind to my father, who is staring directly at me as I pour syrup over my meal. After a few more seconds of intense gazing, I finally break the silence. "Any particular reason your staring at me with such interest, father?"

"Where have you been this past week? We never saw you in the house," he blinks his chocolate brown eyes.

"Out."

"Out where?"

"Tch, that's none of your business."

"Sasori!" my mother interjects, slightly glaring. "That's no way to talk to your father."

"And am I wrong? I'm 26 years old, I don't _need_ to tell you where I'm going as if I'm still a teenager."

"But you are still living under this roof."

"And that signifies what? Most Tenshi children _never_ leave the home they grow up in. They just continue living in it until their parents die, and then _they_ get the pleasure of having to take care of it," I remark, tone rather hostile. I don't enjoy being asked where I've been to, mostly because I know the reaction I'm going to get from my parents. "But if you must know, I've been in New York, Westchester specifically."

"And why were you in Westchester?"

I smile widely at my father. "Getting to know some Mundanes over a cup of coffee."

The slight twitch of the brow and the sudden menacing gaze looking back at me evidences my earlier response.

I receive _just_ the reaction I was expecting.

"God dammit, Sasori, you know I hate when you do that!" he yells, slamming his hands on the table. "Spending your time with such crude, insolent, and pompous creatures-"

"If anything, _father_, the pompous ones aren't the Mundanes!" I yell back, standing up. "When was the last time you ever actually visited a city or a country where there weren't any Tenshi? Have you ever actually _spoken_ to a Mundane before?! Because I can promise you this: I have had more intellectual conversations with a drunken Mundane than I have ever had with any Tenshi teacher combined!"

"That's enough!" my father screams, rising to his feet and letting his wings unfurl. They are a massive 20ft span, adding to the foreboding aura emanating off his body.

But I don't let that affect me as I, too, unfurl my wings, standing my ground. Gaara just continues to eat as if nothing is going on, which more or less pisses me off even more. Meanwhile, my mother has her face in her hands, looking as if she's pretending the situation that is happening in front of her isn't _actually_ happening.

"Just what do you think you'll _gain_ from conversing with creatures like the Mundanes, Sasori?!" my father bellows.

"Creatures? HA! I laugh at such a word when in reality, _we're_ the creatures here!" I scream back, flapping my wings slightly for emphasis. "Last I remember, we're not even supposed to exist! We're creatures told in supernatural tales and fantasies. Yet we believe we're the supreme species when we're all slowly dying from a disease!"

"Don't tell me you believe in that bullshit!"

"I will and I am! Maybe if you had paid attention in bio class when you took it, you'd understand that monarchies centuries ago faced the same issue with inner-family marriage and a degenerative disease. Staying a pureblood will only go so far, father!"

"So you're saying that you support the intermixing of Tenshi and Mundane DNA?" my father asks this question slowly, as though when I give the wrong answer, all hell will break loose. Just as I'm about to respond, a projection suddenly appears near the island.

It's a hologram of one of the members of the Council, Amaris. Her giant, golden curls splay down to her elbows, accentuating the white Greek Goddess style dress she's wearing. Her violet eyes scan the room, a pleasant smile forming on her lips the second her gaze lands on me. "Sasori Akasuna?"

"Yes, m'lady Amaris?" I furl my wings back in and bow, a signature display to any Council in one's presence. I hear her give a tiny chuckle. "No need to bow before me, Sasori. I am merely a projection in your home."

"Respect must be given in the presence of a Council member, ma'am," though I rise anyways. She smiles again. "I believe you may be wondering as to why I am suddenly summoning myself at such an unexpected time."

"I am wondering that, ma'am."

"It is because I have been sent to deliver a message from the rest of the Council," Amaris states, gaze suddenly growing very serious.

I knit my brows together in confusion.

What could the Council want?

"And that message is?" I ask warily.

She smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes like last time. "The Council would like to see you, Sasori Akasuna, by nightfall tonight. If you know us well enough, I would take it upon yourself to see us with urgency, seeing as we rarely call upon our citizens unless it is important. Do I make myself clear, Sasori?"

"Yes, m'lady Amaris," I reply. "I will see to it quickly and speedily."

"Make haste then, young lad," the hologram disappears, leaving everyone at the table stunned.

"God, she's hot," Gaara remarks, earning a slap on the back of the head from our mom.

Me…I just stand there, not really sure what to do next.

Like Amaris said: the Council rarely calls upon its citizens unless something extremely important has happened.

So what could I have possibly done?


End file.
